تحليل الأطر التنظيمية لفروع الجامعات الأجنبية وتأثيرها على جودة التعليم العالي في المملكة العربية السعودية
The study aimed to analyze the regulatory frameworks governing international branch campuses (IBCs) and to explore their potential impact on the quality of higher education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It employed both the descriptive-analytical and qualitative approaches to examine global regulatory models and compare them with the national framework through the analysis of official documents and published studies from 2009 to 2025.The findings revealed that successful international branch campus experiences are grounded in flexible legislation, balanced governance models, dual academic accreditation systems, stable funding mechanisms, and strong local strategic partnerships. The analysis also indicated that the Saudi regulatory framework is characterized by a clear set of regulations, a mandatory partnership with a national entity, compliance with local accreditation standards, and employment controls aligned with the qualifications of the home university. Furthermore, the study identified key opportunities, including the introduction of globally recognized academic programs, enhancement of Saudi universities’ international rankings support for scientific research, and the development of an integrated knowledge-based economy. Conversely, major challenges were observed, such as quality gaps between local and international standards, financial sustainability issues, overlapping regulatory authorities, and limited alignment with labor market needs. The study concluded that international branch campuses can have a positive potential impact on the quality of higher education in Saudi Arabia by improving curricula, adopting flexible learning models, enhancing graduates’ readiness, and increasing research productivity. Based on these findings, the study recommended activating and refining the regulatory frameworks, adopting participatory governance, linking funding to performance,ensuring alignment with labor market requirements, and strengthening local and research partnerships. (Published abstract)